The mayor of Toledo has expressed the city's commitment to ensuring that visitors leave with plenty of purchases and a positive experience. The 45th edition of FARCAMA brings together 156 artisans from regional, national, and international backgrounds, including a dedicated space for young artisans and new initiatives related to the sector.
During his speech, Velázquez emphasised that FARCAMA has become a key event in the autumn calendar of Toledo and Castilla-La Mancha. He highlighted the importance of fairs as venues for networking, promotion, and economic activity. The mayor reaffirmed the city’s dedication to organising such initiatives in collaboration with the private sector, noting that Toledo is experiencing a particularly vibrant autumn with the Automobile Fair, the upcoming Book Fair, and the recently held inaugural edition of Sabor Toledo, all taking place at Parque de la Vega.
“A fair is a place of encounter,” stated the mayor, underscoring that these events not only help consolidate established sectors but also provide opportunities for newcomers, especially the youth. Velázquez recalled the commitment made last year to return the fair to this venue and remarked that the new layout of the park makes this edition “very special.” He expressed hope that the new space would help achieve record sales and revenue. “That’s the goal,” he said, encouraging visitors to not only enjoy the fair but also to buy and support the artisan sector, which he described as “truly important for Castilla-La Mancha, the province, and the city of Toledo.”
Additionally, Velázquez highlighted the significance of this edition due to Greece being the guest country, recalling Toledo's close ties with Greece through El Greco, one of the city's most renowned figures, and the twinning of Toledo with Heraklion, the painter's birthplace. He also pointed out the prominence of damascening, recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, as one of the artisan expressions most closely linked to Toledo's identity and tradition.
The inauguration event was attended by the president of Castilla-La Mancha, Emiliano García-Page; the regional minister of Economy, Companies and Employment, Patricia Franco; the president of the Toledo Provincial Council, Concepción Cedillo; representatives from the municipal corporation and the business and financial sectors, as well as from the FARCAMA organisation and particularly from the artisan community of Castilla-La Mancha.
